For nearly a century, prenatal care in the U.S. has followed a uniform approach: around 12 to 14 in-person visits per pregnancy, regardless of a patient’s health status or personal circumstances. But emerging models like MiPATH (The Michigan Plan for Appropriate Tailored Healthcare in Pregnancy) and OB Nest (developed by the Mayo Clinic) are proving that we can do better, safely, equitably, and efficiently.
Through strategic use of Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and telemedicine, these models allow clinics to tailor care to each pregnancy, often reducing the number of required in-person appointments, not just for low-risk patients, but in some cases for high-risk patients, too. This modern approach to maternity care is not only clinically sound, but also supports better access, lower cost, and higher satisfaction.
The Evidence Supports Fewer In-Person Visits Without Compromising Safety
Traditionally, prenatal care has been designed with a high-touch, clinic-based model. But research now shows that fewer in-person visits, supplemented by digital tools and remote monitoring, can be just as safe:
- In the OB Nest model, low-risk patients had roughly half the number of in-person appointments compared to standard care, yet maternal and neonatal outcomes were equivalent. Patients also reported higher satisfaction and lower stress.
- The MiPATH model goes further, offering a tiered, flexible framework for all pregnant individuals, low- and high-risk alike. While high-risk patients often need more monitoring, MiPATH emphasizes that much of this monitoring can be done remotely, and that not all high-risk pregnancies require more in-person care.
This is a pivotal insight: risk-adjusted care doesn’t always mean more visits, it means smarter visits. If a high-risk condition (e.g., hypertension or gestational diabetes) is stable and being actively monitored at home, additional in-person appointments may not improve outcomes.
Benefits of Lowering In-Person Visit Counts
- Tailored, Risk-Responsive Care
Care is designed around the specific needs of each patient. Someone with no complications may only need four in-person visits, while a high-risk patient with remote monitoring tools might avoid extra travel yet still receive intensive oversight.
- Greater Convenience for Patients & More Capacity for Providers
Fewer in-person visits means less time off work, less reliance on transportation, and fewer disruptions to daily life. This is particularly beneficial for patients in rural or underserved areas. Providers can see the benefits of increased clinic throughput.
- Improved Patient Engagement
RPM technologies (e.g., at-home blood pressure cuffs) make patients active participants in their care. Coupled with virtual check-ins, this enhances education, agency, and trust.
- Cost Savings for the System
Reducing unnecessary appointments lowers costs across the board, for clinics, payers, and patients. When providers allocate in-person resources only where needed, they improve both efficiency and value-based care performance.
- Health Equity and Access
Telehealth and remote care break down barriers for patients who struggle to attend frequent appointments due to financial, geographic, or logistical challenges. MiPATH also incorporates social determinants of health into visit planning and connects patients with needed supports.
How Marani Helps Make It All Work
Implementing a flexible prenatal care model takes more than guidelines, it requires the right tools. That’s where Marani comes in.
Remote Monitoring Integration
Marani supports easy-to-use, clinically validated devices for blood pressure, weight, and more, giving providers real-time access to patient vitals, and allowing issues to be detected early without an office visit.
Risk Stratification Support
The platform helps care teams stratify patients using medical, social, and demographic inputs, flagging who might safely reduce in-person visits (even among high-risk patients) and who requires escalation.
Virtual Care Infrastructure
Marani facilitates secure, HIPAA-compliant communication, allowing virtual care and asynchronous messaging to replace or complement physical appointments.
Actionable Analytics
With Marani’s dashboards, clinics can track trends, outcomes, and adherence across patient populations, supporting continuous quality improvement and operational visibility.
Team-Based Coordination
Marani enables seamless coordination among physicians, nurses, midwives, social workers, and behavioral health specialists, ensuring that each patient’s unique needs are met holistically, no matter where they are.
Rethinking What “Routine” Means
In today’s world, prenatal care shouldn’t be measured by the number of clinic visits. It should be judged by how effectively and equitably it supports healthy pregnancies and healthy families.
With models like MiPATH and OB Nest paving the way, and platforms like Marani enabling seamless execution, we have the opportunity to redefine prenatal care for the 21st century by making it smarter, safer, and more flexible than ever before.